Fifty years of road races
MUSCLES ached and chests pounded for many who walked or ran the Alexandra Harrier and Walkers Club 50th Clyde to Alexandra road races on Saturday.
About 320 children and adults, many from Dunedin, Southland and even Christchurch, came to compete in the 10km, 6km or 2km walking and running events.
The prizegiving at the end of the event included a small cakecutting ceremony carried out by two longserving club members — Joe Stevens, of Alexandra, and Steve Tohill, of Earnscleugh.
The event was first held in 1969, when about 20 club members participated.
The club now has 91 members.
Mr Stevens first ran in the open race from the Clyde Dam to Alexandra in 1972 as a member of the Ariki Athletics Club in Dunedin and when he moved to Alexandra, he joined the local club in 1982.
‘‘I have probably run the 10km run about 15 times,’’ Mr Stevens said.
‘‘My personal best was 33min 29sec in 1987.’’
He said the first two times the races were held, it was for the club members, but people from outside the district were keen to take part so it was opened up to any club in 1971.
The race has attracted some elite sports stars in the past 50 years including Commonwealth Games athlete Euan Robertson, who competed in the games in 1974 and 1978, and Robbie Johnston, who competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics and in the 1994 Commonwealth Games.
Mr Stevens said the Central Otago scenery was part of the attraction of belonging to the club as harriers and walkers travelled to different sites each Saturday morning to take part in their sport.
Club life member Mr Tohill first joined the club in 1974 at the invitation of founding member Dick Dowland.
He ran in the 10km event from 1974 to 2004, and his fastest time was 34min 10sec in 1988.
He still runs with the club and helps with the organisation.
‘‘I find the members to be very friendly [and there is a] good social atmosphere,’’ Mr Tohill said.